The Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association (NITOA) says Nigeria’s industrial fishing sector requires urgent investment in modern vessels, affordable finance, fish terminals, cold-chain infrastructure and maritime security to increase domestic fish production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fish.
The association also called for stronger fisheries research, reliable data and digital monitoring to ensure that fleet expansion does not result in overfishing or the depletion of Nigeria’s marine resources.
Speaking at the Maritime Correspondence Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) National Conference on Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria in Lagos, NITOA President, Mrs Benedette Okonkwo, represented by Mr Anthony Agwaazor, said revitalising industrial fishing is critical to food security, job creation, economic diversification and the development of Nigeria’s blue economy.
While addressing stakeholder on the topic, “Revitalizing Nigeria’s Industrial Fishing Sector for Food Security and Economic Growth,” Okonkwo, identified high fuel and operating costs, ageing fishing vessels, limited access to finance, inadequate fishing and cold-chain infrastructure, regulatory difficulties, maritime insecurity, lack of fish terminals, poor fisheries data, climate-related pressures and limited processing capacity as major constraints to the sector.
According to her, modernising the country’s fishing fleet should be the starting point of the sector’s revival, with government and private investors supporting the rehabilitation and replacement of obsolete vessels with safer and more fuel-efficient equipment.
However, she stressed that fleet expansion must be guided by scientific assessments of fish stocks to prevent overfishing and ensure the long-term viability of the industry.
Okonkwo also called for affordable long-term financing, fisheries insurance and investment schemes to enable operators acquire vessels and equipment, develop processing facilities and meet working-capital needs.
She said access to such funding should be tied to compliance with fisheries regulations and sustainable fishing practices.
Beyond vessels and finance, NITOA said Nigeria urgently needs modern fishing ports, landing facilities, ice plants, cold-storage facilities, refrigerated transport, processing centres and fish markets to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the quality and value of fish products.
The association also placed particular emphasis on the establishment of dedicated fish terminals, describing them as specialised shore-based facilities where fishing vessels can safely discharge their catches for sorting, processing, storage, marketing and distribution.
NITOA noted such terminals would allow fish to be cleaned, gutted, graded, filleted, frozen, smoked or packaged, while reducing delays and damage to catches.
The development of fish terminals, it added, would strengthen industrial fishing, reduce post-harvest losses and support food security and economic growth.
NITOA further advocated greater investment in fish processing and value addition, including frozen, smoked, canned and filleted products, noting that expanding these activities would create jobs and stimulate related industries.
On maritime security, the association called for stronger cooperation among fisheries authorities, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies to protect fishing vessels, coastal communities and legitimate economic activities at sea.
It also stressed that fisheries policy must be based on reliable data, with regular stock assessments and marine research used to determine sustainable catch levels, protect breeding grounds and establish appropriate fishing seasons and conservation measures.
“The industrial fishing sector should be integrated into Nigeria’s broader blue-economy strategy, with public-private partnerships mobilising the capital and expertise required for fleet modernisation, infrastructure, processing, logistics and market development.”
She called for simultaneous investment in human capacity, particularly in marine engineering, fisheries science, vessel management, fish processing and digital fisheries management.
She also highlighted the importance of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in promoting environmentally responsible fishing, saying proper installation and inspection of the devices would enable sea turtles and other large non-target species to escape fishing nets while allowing the intended catch to be retained.
According to NITOA, effective TED inspection would support compliance with fisheries regulations, protect marine ecosystems and safeguard Nigeria’s fishery resources.
“A coordinated revival of the sector would increase domestic fish production, improve food security, create jobs in coastal communities, reduce fish imports, expand fish-processing and marine industries, increase government revenue and potential export earnings, improve livelihoods across the fisheries value chain and strengthen the sector’s contribution to the blue economy,” Okonkwo stated.
She, however, stressed that revitalising industrial fishing should not be reduced to simply increasing the number of vessels.
She said the sector’s sustainable growth required a coordinated combination of modern vessels, affordable finance, infrastructure, research, digital monitoring, maritime security, skilled manpower and value addition.
The association added that the ultimate objective should be to derive greater food and economic value from Nigeria’s fisheries resources while preserving them for future generations.
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